Pro-equality church vandalised in Brisbane

The church's billboard, bearing the message "respect equality—marriage equality now" was also damaged.

A Brisbane church supporting marriage equality has been vandalised this week.

“Say no” was scrawled across the rainbow logo of the West End Uniting Church.

The church’s billboard, bearing the message “Respect equality—marriage equality now” was also damaged.

“Yes vote supporters are oft accused of being forceful,” the church posted on its Facebook page yesterday.

“Here we have an example of defacing property. Sadly we know who represents this view the most, and yet they didn’t see fit to come and talk openly about it.”

The church has asked for any witnesses to the vandalism to come forward.

The suburb of West End has also been plastered with posters attacking LGBTI families, but locals have fought back.

The posters, reading “A vote for gay marriage is a vote for child abuse”, have all been torn down or defaced, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

One poster has had “Fuck off Nazi scum” written across it.

West End Community Association president Erin Evans said the response by locals has affirmed the strength of the community.

“West End is a safe and welcoming community that celebrates diversity and belonging,” she said.

The LGBTI Legal Service is considering making a complaint about the anti-LGBTI posters to the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland, according to president Matilda Alexander.

“These kinds of posters would actually incite hatred against gay people on the whole because of their sexuality by making links [to] child abuse,” she said.

Alexander said homophobia is not protected by freedom of speech.

“We were afraid of this happening because of the postal vote,” she said.

“This is why we didn’t want to have a plebiscite, we didn’t want to have a public debate about whether it’s acceptable to allow equal rights because we were worried about the consequences and the legitimacy it gives to people who have homophobic views.”

Ahead of the marriage equality postal vote, West End has been covered with rainbow posters encouraging locals to vote yes and to attend next weekend’s rally for equality.

About the AuthorJesse Jones

Jesse is Star Observer's senior journalist. His background is in public health and sex work, and his special interests include health, gender and travel. When he's not writing, Jesse is into movies, martial arts and margaritas. You can follow his tweets @JesseJonesAU.